HC stays order allowing Nooriya to go abroad

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday stayed an order passed by the Sessions court permitting beautician Nooriya Haveliwala, who is accused of mowing down two persons including a constable, to travel abroad for a month.

Nooriya, who is facing trial for culpable homicide and under the NDPS Act for consumption of narcotics, was allowed to travel to US and Dubai for a month. Nooriya was to leave India on May 16.

However, the state government had approached the High Court challenging the lower court's order on the ground that Nooriya, who is a US-born Indian national, would abscond if allowed to leave the country.

Additional public prosecutor Poornima Kantharia informed the court that the order was obtained from the sessions court, without giving notice to the investigating agency.

Neither the investigating agency nor the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) was asked to file its reply to Haveliwala's application to travel abroad.

Vacation judge P D Kode on Tuesday stayed the order of the Sessions court and posted the matter for further hearing on June 19.

On January 30, 2010, Nooriya rammed her SUV into a police check post at Marine Lines in south Mumbai killing a traffic policeman and a motorcyclist. She later tested positive for alcohol and drugs.